Method and apparatus for transporting a wheeled case

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for transporting a wheeled case, such as an article of luggage, utilizing a belt with a connector positioned below the equator of the belt to secure the wheeled case to the user&#39;s back is provided. The apparatus may connect the handle of the wheeled case to the user&#39;s back and may allow the user to maneuver the wheeled case behind his or herself without further use of their hands.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.16/371,892, filed on Apr. 1, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/651,437, filed on Apr. 2, 2018; thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of transportationand luggage handling. More particularly the present disclosure relatesto a tool for handling and transporting a wheeled case. Specifically thepresent disclosure relates to a wearable tool to assist the wearer inhandling and transporting wheeled luggage or a similar wheeled case.

Background Information

Traditionally when people travel, particularly by means of masstransportation such as airplanes, buses, trains, and the like, theyoften take with them clothing and personal effects for the length oftheir expected travel. Commonly people are known to use luggage that isequipped with handles and wheels to assist them in carrying andtransporting these items with them. Often, these suitcases may be largeand unwieldy and difficult to manage even with the added convenience ofextended handles and wheels.

When traveling for business, people tend to have an article of luggagewith personal effects, as well as additional luggage for transportingbusiness items, such as computers and other electronics. When travelingfor pleasure, people tend to travel in groups, with friends and/orfamily, thereby increasing the number of articles of luggageaccompanying them. Additionally, persons traveling for extended periodsof time need additional luggage to insure that they have everything theyneed for their trip. It is therefore not unusual to see travelers movingthru areas such as airports, bus stations, or train stations, with alarge amount of luggage in tow. This requires one or more hands to beoccupied at all times with the luggage and makes it difficult tomaneuver through crowds, gates, and walkways as the luggage may beexcessive and unwieldy. Furthermore, it is not unusual to see travelersstruggling to maneuver luggage while tending to other travelers, such aschildren or other travel companions, who may need assistance. Finally,as it is especially the case with mass transit, travelers are normallyasked to carry on their person, and produce multiple times, documentssuch as personal identification, travel tickets, boarding passes, andthe like. Often these requests to produce documents, or needs of otherpersons, require the traveler to release the handle of luggage and maycause the luggage to tip over or block a walkway. In other instances, aperson may release the luggage handle to tend to another need and forgeta piece of luggage, later walking away and abandoning the bag, which maybe costly and sometimes dangerous, as security personnel may view anabandoned bag as a threat.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure addresses these and other issues by providing away for a traveler to manage and maneuver luggage while leaving theirhands free to tend to other travelers, luggage, and/or other matters,such as producing requested documents or identification, and the like.

In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide an apparatus fortransporting a wheeled case comprising: a belt; a connector removablyengaged with the back of the belt below an equator of the belt; and astrap operationally connected to the connector and further connected toa handle of a wheeled case.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method oftransporting a wheeled case comprising: securing a belt having aconnector removably engaged below an equator of the belt to a user'swaist; connecting a strap to the connector below the equator of thebelt; attaching a handle of a wheeled case to the strap to secure thewheeled case to the user's back; and causing the wheeled case to bemoved without further interaction by the user's hands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A sample embodiment of the disclosure is set forth in the followingdescription, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctlypointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The accompanyingdrawings, which are fully incorporated herein and constitute a part ofthe specification, illustrate various examples, methods, and otherexample embodiments of various aspects of the disclosure. One ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples oneelement may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elementsmay be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as aninternal component of another element may be implemented as an externalcomponent and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn toscale.

FIG. 1 is a top left isometric rear view of a transport device.

FIG. 1A is a top left isometric rear exploded view of a transportdevice.

FIG. 2 is a top right isometric front view of a transport device.

FIG. 2A is a top right isometric front exploded view of a transportdevice.

FIG. 3 is a left side cross-section view of a transport device takenalong Line 3-3 from FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top left isometric rear view of a transport device shownwith an article of luggage partially installed.

FIG. 5 is a left side cross-section view of a transport device with anarticle of luggage installed taken along Line 5-5 from FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top left isometric rear view of a transport device with anarticle of luggage installed and secured.

FIG. 6A is a top left isometric rear view of a first alternateembodiment of a transport device with an article of luggage installedand secured.

FIG. 7 is a left side cross-section view of a transport device with anarticle of luggage installed and secured taken along Line 7-7 from FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is an operational view of a transport device with an article ofluggage installed.

FIG. 8A is an operational view of a transport device with an optionalaccessory pocket attached.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged and exploded rear elevation view of a secondalternate embodiment of a transport device.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged rear elevation view of the second alternateembodiment of a transport device from FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a rear elevation view of an article of luggage showing aportion of the second alternate embodiment of the transport device fromFIG. 9 in a stowed condition.

FIG. 12 is a rear elevation view of a third alternate embodiment of atransport device.

FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of the latch of the third alternateembodiment of a transport device as indicated from FIG. 12.

FIG. 13 is a rear elevation view of the third alternate embodiment of atransport device with a secured connector and an article of luggageinstalled.

FIG. 13A is an enlarged view of the latch of the third alternateembodiment of a transport device as indicated from FIG. 13 with asecured connector.

FIG. 14 is a rear elevation exploded view of a fourth alternateembodiment of a transport device.

FIG. 15 is a rear elevation view of a fourth alternate embodiment of atransport device.

FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a fourth alternate embodiment of atransport device.

FIG. 17 is a rear elevation view of the fourth alternate embodiment of atransport device with an article of luggage installed.

FIG. 18 is a rear elevation exploded view of a fifth alternateembodiment of a transport device.

FIG. 19 is a rear elevation view of a fifth alternate embodiment of atransport device.

FIG. 20 is a front elevation exploded view of a fifth alternateembodiment of a transport device.

FIG. 21A is an operational rear elevation view of the fifth alternateembodiment of a transport device with an article of luggage beinginstalled.

FIG. 21B is an operational rear elevation view of the fifth alternateembodiment of a transport device with an article of luggage installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein, in its most general sense, is a device for securing awheeled case, such as a suitcase or another piece of luggage, to aperson's back using a belt having a connector thereon. The device may bean apparatus for transporting a wheeled case, hereinafter referred to asa transport device, may be used to allow a person to connect a wheeledcase to their back and transport the same without using their hands. Asdiscussed in detail below, various different types of connectors andfeatures may be used with transport device to allow for such hands-freetransportation of a wheeled case.

Accordingly, transport device 10 may include a belt 12, a clamp assembly14, a handle 16, and a strap 18.

With reference to FIGS. 1-8A, belt 12 may have a first end 20, a secondend 22, an outer surface 24, and an inner surface 26. First end 20 andsecond end 22 may include hook and loop type closures 28A and 28B,respectively. As used throughout this specification, and in the FIGURES,reference 28A refers to a hook portion of a hook and loop closure 28 andreference 28B refers to a loop portion of a hook and loop closure 28.However, as may be appreciated, these elements may be reversed orinterchanged as desired by a person skilled in the art.

Belt 12 may be constructed of a fabric material, a leather material, orany other material appropriately chosen according to the desiredimplementation. According to one aspect, belt 12 may be constructed froma nylon, Lycra, or spandex material, or a blend thereof, and may includeone or more layers of material as desired. According to another aspect,belt 12 may incorporate multiple fabrics or materials into differingzones, such as a breathable fabric material zone that would align withthe small of the wearer's back when worn.

Outer surface 24 of belt 12 is defined as the surface not in contactwith or otherwise facing away from the body when belt 12 is worn. Innersurface 26 of belt 12 is defined as the surface of belt 12 in contactwith or otherwise facing the body when belt 12 is worn. Belt 12 may beof sufficient size and/or adjustable to accommodate most usersregardless of waist size. Belt 12 may include optional extensions ininstances where a larger size is required. Belt 12 may includeadditional loop closure 28B areas (not shown) to accommodate users ofsmaller stature. As discussed below, belt 12 may further include anadjustable strap (such as band 728) to adjust the size to fit a user'swaist.

According to one aspect, belt 12 may be a modified back support belt.According to another aspect, belt 12 may offer lower back and lumbarsupport to the user while transporting a wheeled case 106 (referred toherein as wheeled case 106 106, article of luggage 106, or luggage 106,interchangeably). As discussed herein, belt 12 may also be worn withoutattaching to a wheeled case 106. Further according to this aspect,wearing belt 12 without attachment to a wheeled case 106 may stillprovide user with lower back and lumbar support.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3-5, and 7, but as best seen in FIGS. 1Aand 3, clamp assembly 14 may include a clamp generally indicated at 30.Clamp 30 may further include lip 32, upper jaw 34, clamp hinge 36, lowerjaw 38, clamp mouth 40, toggle 42, toggle hinge 44, toggle screw 46,toggle nut 48, clamp base 50, and clamp assembly restraint 54. Upper jaw34 and lower jaw 38 of clamp 30 are pivotally connected about clamphinge 36 which may allow upper jaw 34 and lower jaw 38 to open and closewith the operation of toggle 42.

According to one aspect, clamp 30 may be fixed to clamp base 50.According to another aspect, clamp 30 may be connected to clamp base 50in a manner that may permit clamp 30 to rotate freely relative to clampbase 50. By way of one non-limiting example, this rotation may beachieved by use of a partial thread bolt (not shown) to attach clamp 30to clamp base 50. Other suitable fixed or rotating connectors may beused as desired.

Toggle 42 may be pivotal about toggle hinge 44, and in connection withtoggle screw 46 and toggle nut 48, may rotate between an open and closedposition wherein when in the open position, the upper jaw 34 and lowerjaw 38 of clamp 30 are similarly open. When toggle 42 is in the closedposition, the upper jaw 34 and lower jaw 38 of clamp 30 are in theclosed position. Toggle 42 along with toggle hinge 44, toggle screw 46and toggle nut 48 are known components in the art and may be used in amanner according to known methods.

As best seen in FIG. 1A, transport device 10 may further include anouter plate 52 which may be constructed of fabric similar to the fabricused in construction of belt 12. Outer plate 52 may alternatively beconstructed of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as plastic or metal.According to one aspect, when outer plate 52 is constructed of asemi-rigid or rigid material, outer plate 52 may include a fabric cover.

Transport device 10 may further include inner plate 56. Similar to outerplate 52, inner plate 56 may be constructed of fabric or of a semi-rigidor rigid material. According to one aspect, inner plate 56 may likewisebe covered in fabric when inner plate 56 comprises a rigid or semi-rigidmaterial.

Transport device 10 may further include lumbar plate 58 and lumbar pad60. As discussed above with respect to outer plate 52 and inner plate56, lumbar plate 58 may again be constructed of fabric or a semi-rigidor rigid material that may or may not be covered with fabric. Lumbar pad60 may be constructed of a light-weight foam or cushioning materialoptionally encased in fabric. According to one aspect, lumbar plate 58may have a surface comprising loop closures 28B while lumbar pad 60 mayhave a corresponding surface comprising hook closures 28A which mayallow secure attachment of lumbar pad 60 to lumbar plate 58, as bestseen in FIGS. 1A-2A. According to another aspect, lumbar plate 58 may bematerial or covered in material that may readily attach to hook closures28A.

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, but best seen in FIG. 1A, transport device10 may be assembled in layers. As seen in FIG. 1A, clamp base 50, outerplate 52, clamp assembly restraint 54, inner plate 56, belt 12, lumbarplate 58, and lumbar pad 60 are all attachable to and detachable fromtransport device 10. According to one aspect, clamp base 50 includes afirst clamp base aperture 62 and second clamp base aperture 64 disposedon either side of clamp 30. Corresponding to first clamp base apertureand second clamp base aperture 62 and 64, outer plate 52 may have firstouter plate aperture 66 and second plate aperture 68; clamp assemblyrestraint 54 may have first strap aperture 70 and second strap aperture72; inner plate 56 may have first inner plate aperture 74 and secondinner plate aperture 76; belt 12 may have first belt aperture 78 andsecond belt aperture 80; and lumbar plate 58 may have first lumbar plateaperture 82 and second lumbar plate aperture 84.

Assembly of transport device 10 may align each of the first series ofapertures from each corresponding element (i.e. 62, 66, 70, 74, 78, and82). Similarly, when assembled, transport device 10 may align each ofthe second series of apertures from each corresponding element (i.e. 64,68, 72, 76, 80, and 84). First bolt 86 may then pass through each of thefirst series of apertures in reverse order from first lumbar plateaperture 82 through first clamp base aperture 62. Similarly, second bolt90 may pass through the second series of apertures in reverse order fromsecond lumbar plate aperture 84 through second clamp base aperture 64.First bolt 86 and second bolt 90 may be sized such that first bolt head88 and second bolt head 92 may be recessed within first lumbar plateaperture 82 and second lumbar plate aperture 84, respectively. Accordingto another aspect, first bolt head 88 and second bolt head 92 may berecessed within first belt aperture 78 and second belt aperture 80.First clamp base aperture 62 and second clamp base aperture 64 may besized and shaped to receive first nut 94 and second nut 96 in such amanner as to secure first and second nut 94, 96 from rotating when firstand second bolt 86 and 90 are threaded therethrough, thus securing allcomponents of transport device 10 together. According to another aspect,first bolt 86 and second bolt 90 may be any fastener, such as a screw orpin, as selected by a person skilled in the art without deviating fromthe scope disclosed herein.

According to another aspect, each component may include additionalfasteners, such as hook and loop closures 28A and 28B or adhesives, ormore permanent attachments, such as stitching or welding. By way of anon-limiting example, outer plate 52, clamp assembly restraint 54, andinner plate 56 may be stitched to each other and subsequently stitchedor permanently or semi-permanently adhered to outer surface 24 of belt12. Similarly, lumbar plate 58 may be stitched or semi-permanently orpermanently adhered to inner surface 26 of belt 12.

According to one aspect, in combination with recessed placement of firstbolt head 88 and second bolt head 92, lumbar pad 60 may attach to lumbarplate 58 as previously described utilizing hook and loop closure 28A and28B, respectively, and be positioned such that first bolt head 88 andsecond bolt head 92 are completely covered by lumbar pad 60. Lumbar pad60 may cushion the user's body from impacting first bolt head 88 andsecond bolt head 92 when transport device 10 is worn.

Transport device 10 may further include handle 16 and strap 18. Handle16 may have a generally cylindrical shape and may have a hollow interior98. According to one aspect, handle 16 may be constructed of rigid orsemi-rigid material, such as metal or plastic. According to anotheraspect, handle 16 may be a rigid material covered in fabric or foam.

Strap 18 may have a first end 100 and a second end 102 with hook andloop closure 28A and 28B adhered thereto. According to one aspect, firstend 100 and second end 102 of strap 18 may have loop closure 28B placedtowards the midline of strap 18 with hook closure 28A spaced aparttherefrom defining a section of strap 18 generally designated as 18Awith no hook or loop closure installed thereon.

While transport device 10 may directly connect to the handle 108 of thewheeled case 106, strap 18 may be utilized to allow a user to adjust theposition of the wheeled case 106 behind them while in use, as discussedbelow. Strap 18 may be adjustable in length through use of known methodsand devices, such as slider clips (not shown) or the like.

With reference to FIG. 8A, transport device 10 may include an optionalaccessory pocket 104. Belt 12 may alternatively include more than oneaccessory pocket 104. According to one aspect, accessory pocket 104 maybe stitched or affixed to belt 12 such that it is located substantiallyadjacent to a user's hip when belt 12 is worn.

According to another aspect, accessory pocket 104 may include hookclosures 28A to allow accessory pocket 104 to attach to belt 12 in anylocation on outer surface 24 of belt 12. This may allow user to positionaccessory pocket 104 in the most convenient, secure, and/or comfortableposition as they deem fit.

According to one aspect, accessory pocket 104 may include one or moreclosure device, such as a zipper, to secure objects securely withinaccessory pocket. According to another aspect, closure device may be anysuitable device operable to secure accessory pocket opening, including,but not limited to, hook and loop closure, snaps, buttons, and the like.

With reference to FIG. 6A, a first alternative embodiment of a transportdevice is shown and generally indicated as transport device 210.Transport device 510 may consist of belt 212, outer plate 252, innerplate 256, lumbar plate 258, lumbar pad 260, handle 216, and strap 218.According to one aspect, transport device 210 may be substantiallyassembled in the same manner as transport device 10; however, transportdevice 210 does not include the full clamp assembly 14. Instead,transport device 210 may include only restraint 254 from clamp assembly14 while eliminating clamp 30 and its associated components. Accordingto this aspect, restraint 254 may have additional loop closures 228B toallow adjustment of the length of restraint 254 to properly securehandle 216 within restraint 254.

According to another aspect, transport device 10 may be converted totransport device 210 by removal of clamp assembly 14 from transportdevice 10. Likewise, transport device 210 may be converted back totransport device 10 by replacing clamp assembly 14 in transport device210.

As with transport device 10 and strap 18, strap 218 of transport device210 may be optional, but may allow for proper positioning behind theuser, as discussed below. Strap 218 may likewise be adjustable inlength.

With reference to FIGS. 9-11, a second alternative embodiment of atransport device is shown and generally indicated as transport device510. Transport device 510 may consist of attachment plate 511, belt 512,attachment plate receiver 513, handle 516, and strap 518.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, belt 512 of transport device 510 maybe substantially similar to belt 12 of transport device 10 in that itmay include one or more layers and have a first end 520, second end 522,outer surface 524, and inner surface 526, and may include hook and loopclosures 528A (not shown) and 528B in a configuration substantiallysimilar to belt 12.

Transport device 510 differs from transport device 10 in that transportdevice 510 does not include clamp assembly 14, outer plate 52, assemblyrestraint 54, or inner plate 56. Transport device may optionally includea lumbar plate and/or lumbar pad (not shown) that are substantiallysimilar to lumbar plate 56 and lumbar pad 60.

According to this embodiment, transport device 510 includes attachmentplate 511 which may be removably attached to belt 512 via interactionwith attachment plate receiver 513, the operation of which is discussedmore fully below. Attachment plate 511 may include a left edge 515,right edge 517, a top edge 519, a bottom edge 521, an outer side 523,and an inner side 525. Left edge 515 and right edge 517 may definetherebetween a longitudinal direction. Top edge 519 and bottom edge 521may define therebetween a vertical direction. The outer side 523 isgenerally defined as the side furthest away from a user's body whentransport device 510 is worn while the inner side 525 is generallydefined as the side closest to the user's body when transport device 510is worn. Top and bottom edges 519, 521 may be substantially parallel andextend horizontally between the left and right edges 515, 517, and topedge 519 may have a length greater than bottom edge 521. Left and rightedges 515, 517, may extend vertically between top and bottom edges 519,521, connecting with the ends of top and bottom edges 519, 521 tosubstantially form a trapezoidal shape.

Left edge 515, right edge 517, and bottom edge 521 of attachment plate511 may further include a flange 527 that may extend continuously aroundthe lower perimeter of attachment plate 511. According to one aspect,flange 527 may begin on one of the left or right edges 515, 517 andterminate on the opposite edge. According to this aspect, flange 527 mayhave a total length that is less than the sum of the lengths of leftedge 515, right edge 517, and bottom edge 521. Accordingly, thebeginning and terminus of flange 527 may sit below and not come intocontact with top edge 519.

Flange 527 may further include a projection at either terminus that mayserve as a stop member 529 operable to help secure attachment plate 511within attachment plate receiver 513, as discussed below.

Top edge 519 may further include a left extension 531 and a rightextension 533 located exterior of top edge 519 at the uppermost portionof left and right edges 515 and 517 respectively. Left and rightextensions 531, 533 may be aesthetic to create clean lines andappearances when attachment plate 511 is secured within attachment platereceiver 513, or alternatively, left and right extensions 531, 533 maybe operable to help secure attachment plate 511 within attachment platereceiver 513.

Outer side 523 of attachment plate may be constructed of and/or coatedwith a material, such as vinyl, leather, or synthetic leather, or anyother suitable material, including the same material used inconstruction of belt 512. According to one aspect, outer side 523 may bescreen printed or otherwise adorned with ornamental patterns and/ordesigns. According to another aspect, outer side 523 may include asurface material suitable for temporary adornments, such as dry erase orremovable tags.

Inner side 525 of attachment plate 511 may be constructed of a rigid orsemi-rigid material, such as plastic or metal. This may providestructure and support to attachment plate 511. According to one aspect,inner side 525 may be coated with material or otherwise cushioned toprovide additional back support and comfort to the user withoutsacrificing its structural aspects.

According to one aspect, all portions of attachment plate 511 may beconstructed of rigid or semi-rigid material, such as plastic or metal,and may optionally include additional cushioning material and/or amaterial covering.

According to another aspect, flange 527 may represent the outermostedges of inner side 525 of attachment plate 511. According to thisaspect, inner plate 525 may be shaped to mirror outer side 523 but maybe sized slightly larger to allow outer edges of inner side 525 toextend beyond outer edges of outer side 523.

Handle 516 may be constructed from plastic or a similar rigid orsemi-rigid material. According to one aspect, handle 516 may be moldedas a part of inner side 525. According to this aspect, outer side 523may have a pass-through opening to allow handle 516 to extend throughouter side 523.

According to another aspect, handle 516 may be separately constructedand attached to attachment plate 511 in any suitable manner, including aseries of apertures and bolts similar to those used with respect toclamp assembly 14 of transport device 10. According to another aspect,handle 516 may be removably attached to attachment plate 511 through useof tongue and groove connections. It should be recognized that othermethods of attachment may be utilized without deviation from the scopeof the disclosure herein.

Handle 516 may be similar to handle 16 in that is may have a generallycylindrical shape and include a hollow interior 598 which may allowstrap 518 to pass through handle. Strap 518 may be substantially similarto strap 18 and/or strap 218, and may be similarly adjustable in length.

According to one aspect, handle 516 may include a flattened outersurface 535 which may allow for screen printing or other adornmentssimilar to outer side 523.

Belt 512 may further include attachment plate receiver 513 which mayhave a receiving channel 537, a latching member 539, and a backing 543.

Receiving channel 537 may have a left side 545 and a right side 547,defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a bottom side 549across from an open side 551, therebetween defining a verticaldirection. Left side 545, right side 547, and bottom side 549 maycorrespond to left edge 515, right edge 517, and bottom edge 521 ofattachment plate 511. Channel 537 may further take an open “U” shapecorresponding to the trapezoidal shape of attachment plate 511 andconfigured to accept flange 527 within channel 537. Channel 537 mayfurther include stop receiving openings 553 placed and configured toreceive stop members 529 from attachment plate 511.

Latching member 539 may correspond to a latch receiving opening 541within bottom edge 521 of attachment plate 511 and be configured tosecure attachment plate 511 within channel 537. Latching member 539 mayfurther include a tab or protrusion (not shown) that may interact with agroove within latch receiving opening 541 (not shown). Such latches areknown and may be applied according to their expected principles ofoperation.

Attachment plate receiver 513 may be integrally formed with belt 512 ormay be removably attached to belt 512. According to one aspect, backing543 may be attached to belt 512 by hook and loop closures 528 to secureattachment plate receiver 513. According to another aspect, backing 543may be attached to belt 512 through other suitable removable,semi-permanent, or permanent attachments, such as stitching, welding,adhesives, snaps, buttons, or the like.

According to another aspect, backing 543 may be of sufficient thicknessto allow for other fasteners, such as bolts, screws, or the like to beutilized.

According to another aspect, backing 543 may be constructed of a fabricor fabric-like material and may be stitched or welded to belt 512.

It will be understood that other attachments for attachment platereceiver 513 beyond those explicitly discussed herein may be utilized asdesired without deviation from the scope of the disclosure herein.

With reference to FIG. 11, an article of luggage 106 is shown with anattachment plate 511 stowed within an attachment plate receiver 513 onan exterior wall. Attachment plate receiver 513 may be integrally formedon an article of luggage 106 or may be attached to an existing articleof luggage 106. The inclusion of attachment plate receiver 513 on anarticle of luggage 106 may allow installation of strap 518 on luggagehandle 108 according to the discussion below, and may allow for storageof the attachment plate 511 when not connected to belt 512. According tothis aspect, belt 512 may be worn without being connected to attachmentplate 511, allowing user freedom to move about without luggage in tow,if so desired.

Transport device 510 may further include one or more accessory pockets(not shown) that are substantially similar to accessory pocket 104.

With reference to FIGS. 12-13A, a third alternative embodiment oftransport device is shown and generally indicated as reference 710.Transport device 710 may be similar to one or more of transport devices10, 210, and/or 510 in that it may be a belt 712 with a first end 720, asecond end 722, an outer surface 724, and an inner surface 726. Belt 712may further attach to an article of luggage 106 via a luggage handle 108(best seen in FIGS. 12A and 13A).

Transport device 710 may differ from the other embodiments in that belt712 may include a two-piece strap 718 with a belt segment 718A and aremovable luggage segment 718B, a band 728, and a buckle 730.

Two-piece strap 718 may be similar to straps 18, 218, and 518 in that itmay connect the transport device 710 to an article of luggage 106,however, two-piece strap 718 may have a belt segment 718A that may beaffixed or connected to belt 712 and a luggage segment 718B that may beremovable therefrom via a strap clip 740, as discussed below. Two-piecestrap 718 may be formed from a material that is strong enough to handlethe load applied thereto from the weight of a piece of luggage 106 whilemaintaining flexibility and durability over time. By way of non-limitingexamples, two-piece strap 718 may be formed of any material, such asnylon webbing, para-cord, leather, or any other suitable material.

Two-piece strap 718 may be adjustable in length, similar to straps 18,218, and/or 518, through employment of known adjustment mechanisms.According to one aspect, two-piece strap 718 may be adjustable on thebelt segment 718A, the luggage segment 718B, or both the belt segment718A and the luggage segment 718B. The adjustable length of two-piecestrap 718 may allow a user to customize the position of the wheeled casebehind their back during use, as discussed below.

Belt segment 718A of two-piece strap 718 may be connected to belt 712via a strap plate 734. Strap plate 734 may be a longitudinally elongatedpiece that may be formed of plastic, metal, or another suitable rigid orsemi-rigid material. The strap plate 734 may be semi-permanently orpermanently affixed or otherwise connected to belt 712 to provide asecure connection between the two-piece strap 718 and the belt. Beltsegment 718 of two-piece strap 718 may be a continuous loop of materialthat may be fed through a first opening 736 and a second opening 738defined in strap plate 734. The elongation of strap plate 734 may serveto separate the openings 736, 738 to provide two spaced apart points todistribute the load of an attached piece of luggage 106 more evenly tothe sides of the wearer's spine. According to one aspect, belt segment718A of two-piece strap 718 may also be affixed or attached to belt 712,such as through stitching, welding, hook and loop closures, adhesives,or the like to further support the load of an attached piece of luggage106 more securely.

Belt segment 718A of two-piece strap 718 may include a female portion740A of the strap clip 740 for easy and rapid connection to a piece ofluggage 106 (via luggage segment 718B of two-piece strap 718, asdiscussed below). Belt segment 718A may connect to female portion 740Aof strap clip 740 by being threaded through slots 750 defined therein,as best seen in FIGS. 12A and 13A.

Luggage segment 718B of two-piece strap 718 may be a strip of materialthat may be fed through slots 750 on a male portion 740B of strap clip740 (as best seen in FIGS. 12A and 13A) and may have attachment hooks742 connected at each end thereof. Attachment hooks 742 may becarabiners (as shown in the figures), clips, s-hooks, j-hooks, buckles,or any other suitable attachment device operable to connect luggagesegment 718B of two-piece strap 718 to the handle 108 of a piece ofluggage 106 (FIGS. 12A and 13A). According to one aspect, attachmenthooks 742 may be rubberized or otherwise coated with material to reduceslippage of the hooks 742 on the luggage handle 108 and to protect thehandle 108 from damage.

Attachment hooks 742 may be permanently or semi-permanently connected tothe ends of luggage segment 718B of two-piece strap 718, oralternatively may be removable therefrom. For example, the ends ofluggage segment 718B may wrap around the body of the hooks 742 anddouble back on themselves, where they may be stitched, welded, orotherwise permanently or semi-permanently attached. Alternatively, theends of luggage segment 718B may include a removable attachment, such ashook and loop closures, to allow the hooks 742 to be securely attached,but also removable therefrom. According to this aspect, luggage segment718B of two-piece strap 718 may resemble the ends 100 and 102 of strap18, such as is seen in FIG. 4.

Belt 712 may also have a band 728 that may extend longitudinally fromfirst end 720 to second end 722. Band 728 may be a material, such asnylon webbing, that may impart some support to belt 712. Band 728 mayalternatively be made of any material suitable for the purpose ofsupporting belt 712 around a user's waist when being worn. Band 728 mayhave a buckle 730 with a female connector 730A at one end thereof and amale connector 730B at the opposite end thereof. According to oneaspect, buckle 730 may be a plastic snap/clip fastener such as thatillustrated in FIGS. 12-13A, or may alternatively be any suitablefastener as dictated by the desired implementation. According to onenon-limiting example, band 728 may be leather or synthetic leather andbuckle 730 may be a metal belt buckle to impart a more fashionableappearance to belt 712. According to one aspect, band 728 may beadjustable, for example, by having an excess length threaded through oneor both of the female and male connectors 730A, 730B to allow a user toloosen or tighten the band 728 as desired. According to another aspect,band 728 may be elastic or have elastic properties to allow a snug fitacross a variety of size ranges.

Belt 712 may further include a lumbar panel 732 which may be constructedof the same or of different material than the rest of belt 712.According to one aspect, lumbar panel 732 may be constructed of abreathable mesh fabric to allow air to circulate therethrough to reducesweating and discomfort to a user while wearing belt 712. According toanother aspect, lumbar panel 732 may be padded to increase comfort tothe wearer. According to another aspect, lumbar panel 732 may includeadditional features, such as magnetic discs, vibration discs, or anyother features to increase the comfort and/or wearability of transportdevice 710, as desired.

With reference to FIGS. 14-17, a fourth alternate embodiment oftransport device is shown and generally indicated as reference 810.Transport device 810 may be similar to one or more of transport devices10, 210, 510 and/or 710 in that it may be a belt 812 with a first end820, a second end 822, an outer surface 824, and an inner surface 826.Belt 812 may further attach to a wheeled case 106 via the luggage handle108 (as best seen in FIG. 17).

Transport device 810 may differ from the other embodiments of transportdevice in that belt 812 may include a lumbar plate 814 with a mountingplate 816 attached thereto in order to connect strap 818 to the wheeledcase 106 with the strap 818 connecting to belt 812 below the beltequator 834 (FIG. 17) as discussed further below. As used herein, theequator of the belt is understood to refer to a horizontal, ortransverse midline of the belt 812 (or other embodiments equally)extending between first and second ends 820, 822 (or the equivalent endsof other embodiments) thereof. Put another way, the belt equator 834 isan imaginary line at the vertical center of the belt 812 that encirclesthe user when the belt 812 is worn.

Similar to belt 12, belt 812 may be constructed of a fabric material, aleather material, or any other material appropriately chosen accordingto the desired implementation. According to one aspect, belt 812 may beconstructed from a nylon, Lycra, or spandex material, or a blendthereof, and may include one or more layers of material as desired.According to another aspect, belt 812 may incorporate multiple fabricsor materials into differing zones, such as a breathable fabric materialzone that would align with the small of the wearer's back when worn.

Outer surface 824 of belt 812 is defined as the surface not in contactwith or otherwise facing away from the body when belt 812 is worn. Innersurface 826 of belt 812 is defined as the surface of belt 812 in contactwith or otherwise facing the body when belt 812 is worn. Belt 812 may beof sufficient size and/or adjustable to accommodate most usersregardless of waist size. Belt 812 may include optional extensions ininstances where a larger size is required. As discussed below, belt 812may further include an adjustable strap (such as band 828) to adjust thesize to fit a user's waist.

According to one aspect, belt 812 may be a modified back support belt.According to another aspect, belt 812 may offer lower back and lumbarsupport to the user while transporting a wheeled case 106. As discussedherein, belt 812 may also be worn without attaching to a wheeled case106. Further according to this aspect, wearing belt 812 withoutattachment to a wheeled case 106 may still provide user with lower backand lumbar support.

Belt 812 may further include a band 828, similar to band 728 and abuckle 830 similar to buckle 730. As with band 728, band 828 may extendlongitudinally from first end 820 to second 822 and may be a materialsuch nylon webbing that imparts some support to belt 812. Band 828 mayalternatively be made of any material suitable for the purpose ofsupporting belt 812 around the user's waist when being worn. Band 828may have buckle 830 with a female connector 830A at one end thereof anda male connector 830B at the opposite end thereof. According to oneaspect, buckle 830 may be a plastic snap/clip fastener such as thatillustrated in FIGS. 14, 15, and 17 or may alternatively be any suitablefastener as dictated by the desired implementation. According to onenon-limiting example, band 828 may be leather or synthetic leather andbuckle 830 may be a metal belt buckle to impart a more fashionableappearance to belt 812. According to one aspect, band 828 may beadjustable, for example, by having an excess length threaded through oneor both the female and male connectors 730A, 730B to allow a user toloosen or tighten the band 828 as desired. According to another aspect,band 828 may be elastic or have elastic properties to allow a snug fitacross a variety of size ranges.

Belt 812 may further include a lumbar plate 814 which may be constructedof the same or different material than the rest of belt 812. Accordingto one aspect, lumbar panel 814 may be constructed of a breathable meshor foam fabric to allow air to circulate therethrough to reduce sweatingand discomfort to a user while wearing belt 812. According to anotheraspect, lumbar plate 814 may be padded to increase comfort to thewearer. According to yet another aspect, lumbar plate 814 may includeadditional features such as magnetic discs, vibration discs, or anyother features to increase the comfort and/or wearability of transportdevice 810 as desired.

Lumbar plate 814 may include hook and loop closures 832 arranged in aplurality of strips such as a first hook and loop closure strip 836 anda second hook and loop closure strip 838 as best seen in FIG. 14. Thesehook and loop closure strips 836, 838 may correspond to similar hook andloop closures 832 on the inner surface 826 of belt 812 for removableattachment thereto. According to one aspect, the inner surface 826 ofbelt 812 may be constructed of a fabric or covered in a fabric materialthat may readily connect to hook portion 832A of hook and loop closures832 as dictated by the desired implementation. The attachment to andattachment from belt 812 will be discussed further with regards to theoperation thereof.

Lumbar plate 814 may further include a first lumbar plate aperture 840and a second lumbar plate aperture 842, which may facilitate connectionto mounting plate 816 as discussed below.

Mounting plate 816 may be a rigid or semi-rigid plate having a plateportion 844 and a pin portion 846. Mounting plate 816 may furtherinclude a first mounting plate aperture 848 and a second mounting plateaperture 850 that correspond to first lumbar plate aperture 840 andsecond lumbar plate aperture 842, respectively.

Mounting plate 816 may be formed of plastic, metal, or any othersuitable material that is structurally sound enough to support theweight of a wheeled case 106 as it is being pulled behind the user asdiscussed below. Plate portion 844 of mounting plate 816 may include thefirst and second mounting plate apertures 848, 850 for operationalattachment to lumbar plate 814 as discussed further below. Pin portion846 of mounting plate 816 may be cylindrical, tubular, or any othersuitable shape operable to secure pin 852 therein as discussed furtherbelow. According to one aspect, plate portion 844 and pin portion 846may be integrally formed as a single piece. According to another aspect,plate portion 844 and pin portion 846 may be separate pieces that arepermanently affixed together. According to another aspect, plate portion844 may be separate from pin portion 846 and may be removably connectedthereto.

Pin 852 may be a cotter pin or the like, operable to connect strap 818to belt 812 as discussed further below. Pin 852 may include a pin arm854 which may be connected to pin 852 at a head 856 of pin 852 on oneend and to a body 858 of pin 852 on another end. As best illustrated inFIG. 15, body 858 of pin 852 may be inserted through pin portion 846 andmay be in rotatable engagement therewith. Pin 852 may further have thepin arm 854 connected to head 856 at one side of pin portion 846 andconnected to pin body 858 at an opposite side of pin portion 846. Pinarm 854 may be removable from pin 852 at one or both ends to facilitateinsertion and removal of pin 852 from pin portion 846 according to knownmethods and construction.

Belt 812 may further include a removable lumbar pad 860 which may beconstructed of a lightweight foam or cushion material optionally encasedin fabric. According to one aspect, lumbar plate 814 may have a surfacecomprising loop closures 832B while lumbar pad 860 may have acorresponding surface comprising hook closures 832A, which may allowsecure attachment of lumbar pad 860 to lumbar plate 814 as best seen inFIG. 16. According to another aspect, lumbar 814 may be material orcovered in a material that may readily attach to closures 832A for readyattachment to lumbar pad 860. Lumbar pad 860 may be cushioned orotherwise configured to provide comfort to the user while wearing belt812. According to one aspect, as best shown in FIG. 16, lumbar pad mayfurther be utilized to cover the screws 862 used to secure mountingplate 816 to lumbar plate 814 as discussed below.

With reference to FIG. 17, belt 812 is shown having lumbar plate 814 andmounting plate 816 fully assembled and connected thereto via screws 862and nuts 864. Belt 812 is further attached to luggage handle 108 ofwheeled case 106 via strap 818 and hooks 42. As shown therein, mountingplate 816, or more specifically, pin portion 846 of mounting plate 816is extended below the belt equator 834 as indicated by the pin portionmidline 866, which may define a first plane below the belt equator 834.Further, the attachment point between strap 818 and pin arm 854 islikewise offset below belt equator 834 as indicated by the attachmentpoint line 868, which may define a second plane below the belt equator834. In attaching strap 818 below the belt equator 834, the weight ofthe case is offset from the middle of belt 812 which can prevent theweight of wheeled case 106 from pulling and disengaging belt 812 fromthe user's back. Instead, with the weight offset from the equator 834,belt 812 remains snug against a user's back when worn, while the weightof the wheeled case 106 is still fully supported by belt 812. As pin 852is rotatable within pin portion 846, the attachment point midline 868may be raised or lowered by rotating the pin 866; however, bymaintaining the pin portion midline 866 below the equator 834 of belt812, this offset arrangement, and the benefits provided therefrom, maybe maintained regardless of the rotation of pin 852 in pin portion 846.

With reference to FIGS. 18-21B, a fifth alternate embodiment oftransport device is shown and generally indicated as reference 910.Transport device 910 may be similar to one or more of transport devices10, 210, 510, 710, and/or 810 in that it may be a belt 912 with a firstend 920, a second send 922, an outer surface 924, and an inner surface926. Belt 912 may further attached to an article of luggage 106 via theluggage handle 108 as best seen in FIGS. 21A and 21B.

More particularly, transport device 910 may be substantially similar oridentical to transport device 810 but for the attachment mechanism forstrap 918 as discussed further below. Specifically, belt 912 may beidentical or nearly identical to belt 812 but for the way lumbar plate914 attaches thereto and the way strap 918 is then attached to lumbarplate 914 as discussed herein.

Accordingly, belt 912 may have a band 928 and a buckle 930 that may besubstantially identical to band 828 and buckle 830. Similarly, belt 912may have a similar construction and outer surface 924 and inner surface926 may be similarly defined. Also, as with belt 812, belt 912 may be amodified back support belt and may be utilized in the same manners asdescribed for belt 812.

Belt 912 may further include a lumbar plate 914 and a mounting plate916, which may be utilized to connect to the wheeled case 106 via aremovable strap 918, as discussed below.

Belt 912 may differ from belt 812 in the belt 912 may further include anattachment strap 978 having a first end 980 and a second end 982 withsecond end being connected to and/or integrally formed with belt 912 asdiscussed below. Attachment strap 978 may facilitate quick and easyattachment to a strap handle 988 and/or strap 918 as discussed herein.Belt 912 may further include a first belt aperture 984 and a second beltaperture 986 defined thereto for operational attachment to lumbar plate914.

Lumbar plate 914 may be substantially similar to lumbar plate 814 butfor the addition of a third lumbar plate aperture 970 and a fourthlumbar plate aperture 972 and the corresponding exclusion of first andsecond hook and loop strips 836 and 838 therefrom.

Mounting plate 916 may be a rigid or semi-rigid plate, similar to plate816; however, mounting plate 916 may differ therefrom in that it mayomit pin portion 846 in favor of a pair of flanges 974 that extendhorizontally or transversely thereon and define therebetween a receivingchannel 976 for strap 918 and/or strap handle 988 as discussed furtherbelow. Mounting plate 916 may include first mounting plate aperture 948and second mounting plate aperture 950, which may correspond to firstlumbar plate aperture 940 and second lumbar plate aperture 942,respectively.

With reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, belt 912 is shown having lumbar plate914 and mounting plate 916 fully assembled and connected thereto viascrews 962 and nuts 964. As seen in FIG. 19, attachment strap 978 mayextend between mounting plate 916 and lumbar plate 914 such thatattachment strap 978 may be behind mounting plate 916 when fullyassembled.

As best seen in FIG. 20, belt 912 may further include a lumbar pad 960,which may be similar or substantially similar to lumbar pad 860 in thatit may be cushioned or material based and may include a surfacecomprising hook closures 932A to readily attach to a correspondingsurface on lumbar plate 914 as discussed with lumbar plate 814 andlumbar pad 860 above. Further, similar to lumbar pad 860, lumbar pad 960may be cushioned and may be configured to cover screws 962 to providemore comfort to the user as belt 912 is worn about the user's waist.

With reference to FIGS. 21A and 21B, belt 912 may attach to the wheeledcase 106 via strap 918 and strap handle 988. Specifically strap handle988 may be received or have a portion thereof received in receivingchannel 976 of mounting plate 916 to secure a portion of strap 918within mounting plate 916 as best seen in FIG. 21B. Then first end 980of attachment strap 978 may be then pulled up and over strap handle 988and the hook and loop closures 932A and 932B disposed at the opposingends of attachment strap 978 may be connected to secure handle 988within receiving channel 976 and thereby secure strap 918 to belt 912.

As with belt 812, the attachment point midline 968 of strap 918 isoffset below the equator 934 of belt 912 to provide the same benefitwherein the weight of wheeled case 106 does not pull or otherwise detachbelt 912 from the user's back when worn and operated. The attachmentpoint midline 968 of strap 918 may correspond to the strap receivingchannel 976 such that the channel 976 may define the attachment pointmidline 968, which may further define the plane below the belt equator934 at which the attachment of the strap 918 is offset.

Although described with regards to particular embodiments, it will beunderstood that various features and components of transport devices 10,210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910 may be utilized with any embodimentwhether specifically described with reference to that embodiment or not.For example, accessory pocket 104 may be utilized with any embodiment oftransport device 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910. Similarly, theadjustable band 728, buckle 730, and/or lumbar panel 732 of transportdevice 710 may readily be adapted for use with other transport devices10, 210, 510, 810, and/or 910. Other similar features may likewise beinterchanged or adapted for use with other embodiments of transportdevice 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910.

It will likewise be understood that other modifications may be made toany or all of transport devices 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910provided those modifications still permit connection to a handle 108 ofan article of luggage 106 as described here. According to onenon-limiting example, handles 16, 216, and/or 516, and/or strap handle988 may be modified such that one or more may be connected to a stem(not shown) which may be integrally formed with an associated mountingplate which may facilitate a permanent or semi-permanent attachmentbetween the specific handle 16, 216, 516, and/or 988 and the associatedbelt 12, 212, 512, and/or 912, or with any other embodiment of belt,such as belts 712 and 812. According to another example, handles 16,216, and/or 516, and/or strap handle 988 may be modified such thatstraps 18, 218, 518, 718, 818, and/or 918 may pass through handle atother angles thereto, rather than pass through a centralizedlongitudinal open, as depicted and discussed here. Further according tothis example, straps 18, 218, 518, 718, 818, and/or 918 may pass throughone or more apertures defined transversely, vertically, perpendicularly,or at any angle relative to handles 16, 216, 516, and/or 988.Alternatively, straps 18, 218, 518, 718, 818, and/or 918 may connect tohandles 16, 216, 516, and/or 988. In other suitable ways as dictated bythe desired implementation.

Similarly, other components or elements may be modified as dictated bythe desired implementation, including, but not limited to, attachmenthooks 742, straps 18, 218, 518, 718, 818, and/or 918, belts 12, 212,512, 712, 812, and/or 912, or one or more of the mounting or fasteningcomponents disclosed for use therewith.

Having thus described transport device 10 and the various embodimentsthereof, the operation and method of use therefor will now be discussed.

As transport devices 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910 are allembodiments of a similar device with a similar purpose, it will beunderstood that the methods of use and operation thereof may besubstantially similar across all embodiments. Further, as features ofeach device 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910 may be readily adaptedfor use with any of these embodiments, it will be understood that theoperation or use of those features will be the same or substantiallysimilar across all embodiments. Therefore, references to a particularembodiment below are understood to include all similarly featuredembodiments, whether specifically recited or not, unless explicitlystated otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 4-13A, in operation, transport device 10, 210,510, and 710, may be worn substantially about a user's waist. Belt 12 oftransport device 10 may be placed with lumbar pad 60 against the smallof the user's back and second end 22 of belt 12 is wrapped around user'sside and held in front while first end 20 of belt 12 is wrapped aroundthe user's opposite side and attached to second end 22 of belt 12 viahook and loop closures 28A and 28B. This placement puts clamp assembly14, outer plate 52, clamp assembly restraint 54, and inner plate 56 atthe wearer's lower back slightly above the waistline for properpositioning for using and transporting an article of luggage 106.Transport device 10 may be attached to an article of luggage 106 priorto belt 12 being put on a user's waist, or attached to an article ofluggage 106 after being put on a user's waist according to the user'spreference. Proper placement of belt 12 and transport device 10 may bebest seen as shown in FIG. 8.

With reference to FIG. 8A, accessory pocket 104 may be sized to carrymost cellular telephones, smart phones, phablets, tablets, or otherpersonal electronic devices. According to one aspect, accessory pocket104 may include a touchscreen friendly outer surface which may allowuser to operate a touchscreen device while worn. According to anotheraspect, in operation, accessory pocket 104 may carry any personal itemthe user needs or wishes to keep available, such as a wallet, creditcards, money, or travel documents. According to one embodiment,accessory pocket 104 may be removably attached to belt 12 and mayinclude a portable battery which may be used to charge personalelectronics while contained within accessory pocket 104.

With reference to FIG. 6A, the first alternate embodiment of transportdevice 210 may function substantially similar to transport device 10 inthat belt 212 may be worn around a user's waist and attached, with hookand loop closure 228 securing belt 212 in place, and with handle 216secured to user solely with restraint 254 securing handle 216 totransport device 210. Transport device 210 may attach to luggage 106 inthe same manner as transport device 10. Although disclosed asalternative embodiments, transport device 10 and transport device 210may be interchanged in operation through the removal or addition ofclamp assembly 14, as discussed above. Accordingly, it is understoodthat the operation of transport device 10, further discussed below, isequally applicable to both transport device 10 and 210, with properadjustment to account for the presence or absence of clamp assembly 14components.

Strap section 18A may interact with the luggage handle 108 of anassociated article of luggage 106 to be transported such that luggagehandle 108 does not contact or, alternatively, does not significantlycontact hook and loop closure 28A and 28B, respectively. As shown in thefigures, article of luggage 108 is contemplated as a common suitcase,although any article of luggage 106 having a luggage handle 108 may beused with this device without deviating from the scope disclosed herein.

Installation of handle 16 into clamp 30 may be accomplished by openingtoggle 42 into an open position as best seen in FIG. 3 wherein toggle 42is extended down and away from lower jaw 38 of clamp 30. Handle 16 isthen inserted in clamp mouth 40 between upper jaw 34 and lower jaw 38 ofclamp 30. Toggle 42 is then rotated about toggle hinge 44 in thedirection of the curved arrow as shown in FIG. 5 to a closed position asseen in FIG. 5 thereby pulling upper jaw 34 down in the directionindicated by the arrow in FIG. 5. Upper jaw 34 rotates about clamp hinge36 thereby closing clamp mouth 40 and securing handle 16 within clamp 30between upper jaw 34 and lower jaw 38. Operation of clamp 30 may bereversed to remove handle 16 from clamp 30. The grip strength of clamp30 is adjustable by opening toggle 42 and rotating toggle 42 about anaxis substantially defined by toggle screw 46 thereby loosening ortightening toggle screw 46 within toggle nut 48 and correspondinglyincreasing or reducing the distance between upper jaw 34 and lower jaw38. Once handle 16 and strap 18 are installed within clamp 30, first end100 and second end 102 of strap 18 may be wrapped around luggage handle108 and first end 100 and second end 102 of strap 18 may then be securedback to strap 18 by hook and loop closures 28A and 28B, respectively.According to one aspect, strap 18 may include any other manner ofattachment to luggage handle 108 including, but not limited to, clips,hooks, carabiners, or the like. According to another aspect, strap 18and/or luggage handle 108 may be modified to attach to strap 18 in anysuitable way, as desired. When attached and secured by strap 18, asshown in FIG. 6, luggage handle 108 may have two points of contact withtransport device 10, via strap 18, to allow luggage to remain properlypositioned and stable as it is being transported by transport device 10.

The length of strap 18 may then be adjusted to fit the user according tothe user's height, the angle of the wheeled case 106 relative to theuser's back, and the distance the wheeled case 106 will sit behind theuser. The adjustment of strap 18 may allow the wheeled case 106 toremain a sufficient distance behind the user to prevent the user's heelsfrom striking the wheeled case 106 when walking. This may furtherprevent a user from having to change or compromise his or her gait whileusing transport device 10 (and/or 210, 510, and 710).

With reference to FIGS. 9-11, the second alternate embodiment shown mayoperate in the following manner. Belt 512 may be worn about a user'swaist similar to belt 12 and may be secured to user's waist in a similarfashion. Strap 518 may threaded through the hollow interior 598 ofhandle 516 and affixed to a luggage handle 108 in a similar manner inwhich strap 18 is affixed to luggage handle 108. Once so attached,flange 527 of attachment plate 511 may slidably engage channel 537 ofattachment plate receiver 513. Specifically, a user may align left andright edges 515, 517 of attachment plate 511 with left and right sides545, 547 of channel 537 and may slide attachment plate 511 intoattachment plate receiver 513 until bottom edge 521 contacts bottom side549, latching member 539 is inserted and housed within latch receivingopening 541, and stop members 529 are inserted and housed within stopreceiving openings 553. In this configuration, left and right extensions531, 533 may be positioned above and adjacent to channel 537 to completean aesthetically pleasing look while attachment plate 511 is securelyengaged with attachment plate receiver 513, and thereby secured to belt512.

The trapezoidal shape of attachment plate 511 and the corresponding “U”shape of the attachment place receiver 513 and channel 537 may form adove-tail type connection which may further secure attachment plate 511with attachment plate receiver 513 and prevent movement of attachmentplate 511 within attachment plate receiver 513 in all directions exceptthe vertical, upwards direction. This may increase stability andsecurity of the attached luggage 106 while transport device 510 is inuse.

In the secured state, a user may move about and function hands free asdescribed with respect to transport device 10 above.

Removal of attachment plate 511 from attachment plate receiver 513 maybe accomplish through applying force in an upward direction sufficientto overcome latching member's 539 engagement with latch receivingopening 541. Once latching member 539 is disengaged, attachment plate511 may then be slid upwards and out of attachment plate receiver 513.

With reference to FIG. 11, when not secured within attachment platereceiver 513 on belt 512, attachment plate 511 may be inserted into anattachment plate receiver 513 disposed on the exterior of an article ofluggage 106. The engagement/disengagement of attachment plate 511 withan attachment plate receiver 513 disposed on an article of luggage 106may be achieved in an identical way as if attachment plate receiver 513were disposed on belt 512.

With reference to FIGS. 12-13A, the third alternate embodiment oftransport device 710 may operate substantially similar to previousembodiments in that the belt 712 may be worn about a user's waist andmay attach to an article of luggage 106. Belt 712 may be placed on auser's waist and connected by inserting the male connector 730B intofemale connector 730A of buckle 730 to secure belt 712 in place.

Luggage segment 718B of strap 718 may be connected to the handle 108 ofa piece of luggage 106 by securing hooks 742 thereto. When a user isready to connect the luggage 106 to transport device 710, the maleportion 740B of strap clip 740 may be inserted into the female portion740A of strap clip 740. The insertion of male portion 740B into femaleportion 740A may cause a tab 744 on the male portion 740B to align withand extend into an aperture 748 on the female portion 740A, thus lockingthe strap clip 740 together and securing the luggage 106 to the user viatransport device 710. To remove the luggage 106 from transport device,the user then only need to depress a release button 746 on the maleportion 740B of strap clip 740 to move the tab 744 out of the aperture748 to disconnect the female and male portions 740A, 740B of strap clip740 from each other.

The length of two-piece strap 718 may be adjusted once the strap clip740 is locked together, or alternatively may be adjusted prior toconnecting the female portion 740A and male portion 740B of the strapclip 740 together. As with prior embodiments, adjusting the length oftwo-piece strap 718 may have the same effect, namely, allowing a user toadjust the angle and/or distance of the wheeled case 106 relative to theuser's back to prevent interference of the user's gait.

If the user is done utilizing transport device 710 with the article ofluggage 106, the user may disconnect the luggage segment 718B of strap718 from the handle 108 of the luggage 106 by removing the attachmenthooks 742 therefrom.

With reference to FIGS. 14-21A, the fourth alternate embodiment oftransport device 810 and fifth alternate embodiment of transport device910 may operate substantially similar to previous embodiments 10, 210,510, and/or 710 in that belt 812 may be worn about a user's waist andmay attach to a wheeled case 106. Belt 812 may be placed on the user'swaist and connected by inserting the male connector 830B into femaleconnector 830A of buckle 830 to secure belt 812 in place. Transportdevice 910 and belt 912 may be likewise connected via buckle 730 tosecure belt 912 in place.

With reference to FIGS. 21A and 21B, strap handle 988 (or alternatively,strap 918) may be placed or inserted into the strap receiving channel976 to connect the strap 918 to the belt 912. Once handle 988 isinserted, first end 980 of attachment strap 978 may be rotated up in thedirection of Arrow A, indicated in FIG. 21B, and connected to second end982 of attachment strap 978 via hook and loop closures 932. According toanother aspect, first and second ends 980, 982, of attachment strap 978may be secured to one another through any suitable means, including, butnot limited to, hook and loop closures 932, buttons, snaps, clips,hooks, or the like.

Similarly, both belts 812 and 912 may be connected to the handle 108 ofa wheeled case 106 via straps 818 and 918, respectively. The operationof transport devices 810 and 910 may therefore be the same onceconnected to the wheeled case 106. However, it will be understood thatby lowering the attachment point midline 868 and/or 968 below theequator 834, 934 of belts 812 and 912 may further benefit the user inthat the resulting change in weight distribution from the article ofluggage 106 being pulled by the user will not cause belts 812 and/or 912to be pulled away from or otherwise disengaged the user's back.Alternatively, the resulting change in weight distribution of article ofluggage 106 being pulled may reduce the amount by which belt 812 and/or912 are pulled away from the user's back.

Otherwise, it will be understood that transport devices 810 and 910 mayotherwise operate identically or substantially identically to previousembodiments of transport 10, 210, 510, and/or 710 differing only in theattachment mechanism and placement thereof relative to the equator 834,934 of belts 812 and 912, respectively.

It will be further understood that the configuration of all embodimentsof transport device 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910 may be utilizedaccording to a user's preference and/or the desired implementationthereof while remaining within the scope of the disclosure herein.

As discussed previously herein, it will again be understood thatmodifications to transport devices 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910may be made while remaining within the scope of the disclosure herein.In particular, any suitable modification may be made to transportdevices 10, 210, 510, 710, 810, and/or 910 and the elements andcomponents thereof, provided transport devices 10, 210, 510, 710, 810,and/or 910 remain operable to connect the handle 108 of an article ofluggage 106 or other wheeled case 106 to a belt (such as belts 12, 212,512, 712, 812, and/or 912) worn about a user's waist to allow hands freetransport thereof, as described herein. Some non-limiting examples ofsuitable modifications have been provided herein; however, it will beunderstood that other suitable modifications may likewise be made andneed not be limited to the examples provided herein.

Although described herein as a “wheeled case,” “an article of luggage,”and/or “luggage,” it will be understood that the transport devicesdescribed herein may operationally attach to other objects according toa user's desired application. It will be further understood that theitem to which the transport devices attach need not be limited by theexamples provided herein.

An embodiment is an implementation or example of the present disclosure.Reference in the specification to “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,”“some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “other embodiments,”or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiments is includedin at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, ofthe invention. The various appearances “an embodiment,” “oneembodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “otherembodiments,” or the like, are not necessarily all referring to the sameembodiments.

If this specification states a component, feature, structure, orcharacteristic “may”, “might”, or “could” be included, that particularcomponent, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to beincluded. If the specification or claim refers to “a” or “an” element,that does not mean there is only one of the element. If thespecification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does notpreclude there being more than one of the additional element.

Additionally, any method of performing the present disclosure may occurin a sequence different than those described herein. Accordingly, nosequence of the method should be read as a limitation unless explicitlystated. It is recognizable that performing some of the steps of themethod in an different order could achieve a similar result.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of various embodiments of thedisclosure are examples and the disclosure is not limited to the exactdetails shown or described.

What is claimed:
 1. An apparatus for transporting a wheeled casecomprising: a belt; a connector defining a mounting plate having a mountportion and a pin portion, the connector being removably engaged withthe back of the belt below an equator of the belt; and a strapoperationally connected to the connector and further connected to ahandle of a wheeled case.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the strapis removably connected to a handle of the wheeled case by one or moreattachment hooks.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pin portionfurther comprises: a cylinder having a hollow interior configured toaccept a pin inserted therethrough.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 whereinthe pin further comprises: a pin arm removably connected to the pin andfurther configured for operational attachment to the strap.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4 wherein a midline of pin portion defines a firstplane below the equator of the belt and the pin arm defines a secondplane below the equator of the belt.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe connector further comprises: a mounting plate having a pair offlanges defining a transverse strap receiving channel therebetween. 7.The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the strap receiving channel defines anattachment point midline below the equator of the belt.
 8. The apparatusof claim 6 wherein the strap receiving channel is configured to receivea handle having a hollow interior through which the strap threadablyengaged.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the handle is removablyattached to the attachment plate.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 furthercomprising: an attachment strap operable to secure the handle having ahollow interior to the belt.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein thestrap is coupled to the belt via the assembly strap and handle, and isfurther connected to the handle of the wheeled case.
 12. A method oftransporting a wheeled case comprising: securing a belt having aconnector removably engaged below an equator of the belt to a user'swaist; connecting a strap to the connector below the equator of the beltby inserting a pin having a pin arm removably connected thereto into apin portion of a mounting plate removably secured to the belt, whereinthe strap is operably connected to the pin arm; attaching a handle of awheeled case to the strap to secure the wheeled case to the user's back;and causing the wheeled case to be moved without further interaction bythe user's hands.
 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:adjusting at least one of the angle and the distance of the wheeled caserelative to the user's back.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein amidline of pin portion defines a first plane below the equator of thebelt and the pin arm defines a second plane below the equator of thebelt.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein connecting the strap to theconnector further comprises: inserting a handle having a hollow interiorwith the strap threadably engaged therein into a strap receiving channeldefined in a mounting plate removably secured to the belt.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 further comprising: securing the handle with thestrap engaged therethrough to the belt via an attachment strap.
 17. Themethod of claim 15 wherein the strap receiving channel defines anattachment point midline below the equator of the belt.
 18. A method oftransporting a wheeled case comprising: securing a belt having aconnector removably engaged below an equator of the belt to a user'swaist; connecting a strap to the connector below the equator of the beltby inserting a handle having a hollow interior with the strap threadablyengaged therein into a strap receiving channel defined in a mountingplate removably secured to the belt; attaching a handle of a wheeledcase to the strap to secure the wheeled case to the user's back; andcausing the wheeled case to be moved without further interaction by theuser's hands.
 19. An apparatus for transporting a wheeled casecomprising: a connector defining a mounting plate; a handle having ahollow interior operably connected to the mounting plate; and a strapthreadably engaged through the hollow interior of the handle and furtherconnected to a handle of a wheeled case; wherein the connector isoperable to engage an article worn about a user's waist.